


get it all out of your system

by unrealkinkster (criticalkink)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series) RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Puppy Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-04-27 16:59:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14430114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/criticalkink/pseuds/unrealkinkster
Summary: Sometimes it's easier to just not be human for a while.





	get it all out of your system

**Author's Note:**

> Featuring puppy!Matt and puppy!Brian.
> 
> Originally posted to the kmeme [here](https://criticalkink.dreamwidth.org/2839.html?thread=429847#cmt429847).

Taliesin knows it’s going to be one of  _those_  nights when he walks into Matt and Marisha’s place and there’s a blanket draped over the coffee table. How someone as tall and lanky as Matt manages to fit under the damn thing is beyond him, but not only is Matt curled up under there when Taliesin peeks, he also looks  _comfortable_. His chin rests on his paws; he’s not wearing his full-head muzzle mask, but he does have a set of ears on, and his tongue lolls out at Taliesin when Taliesin lifts the blanket.  
  
“Hey, puppy. Being a people get to be too much hard work?”  
  
Matt nods.  
  
“He’s been under there for an hour,” Marisha says, emerging from the kitchen, kissing Taliesin hello. “I think it was the Christmas shopping that finally got to him, but the silly boy won’t tell me.” Her eyes go to the leash hanging on the front door. “It’s probably dark enough out that we can go for a W-A-L-K.”  
  
There’s an excited whine from under the table and Matt comes out, mitts padding softly on the hardwood floor, his kneepads making louder thuds as he crawls to Taliesin’s feet and sits back on his heels, head nudging Taliesin’s hand, another interrogative whine escaping his throat.  
  
“It’s a shame he can S-P-E-L-L,” Taliesin says dryly. “Sure, grab the bag, I’ll put the leash on him.”  
  
Marisha moves to get their walkies bag—a glow in the dark Frisbee, a water bowl and bottle, and a Ziploc bag of cookies—while Taliesin takes the leash down. Matt usually plays hard to get when it comes to the leash. He loves wearing it, loves the mark of ownership, but also loves being a grade-A brat about it. This time, though, he’s surprisingly well-behaved, only sidling away and growling once before submitting to the leash being hooked onto his collar. The fact that he’s already wearing the collar is evidence enough that his stack of responsibilities has fallen on him enough to make him need this coping mechanism.  
  
As the three of them reconvene at the front door, Marisha says casually, “Oh, puppy might have a doggy playdate, if he’s good.”  
  
Matt’s ears prick up and he lets out another interrogative whine.  
  
“You’ll find out,” Marisha says, scratching him behind the ears. “Now, heel for Taliesin.”  
  
Between the house and the car Matt walks upright, the kneepads and paws looking odd, the gleam of the leash’s chain in the early moonlight odder still. He walks with his head up as well, eyes half-closed, deeply inhaling the cool night air.  
  
In the car he makes himself smaller, partially drawing deeper into the puppy headspace and partially avoiding attention as they drive. Taliesin sits beside him in the back seat, one hand lightly finger-combing his hair the whole way.  
  
***  
  
Night Vale has the Dog Park that nobody talks about. Los Angeles has what the neighbors probably think is a vacant lot, albeit one with a number of shade sails and the like stretched out above it on tall solid poles. It’s rare for anyone to be there in the daytime, and Taliesin flat-out refuses to take Matt there in daylight; apart from anything else, he prefers not to parade kink in general and their kink in particular in public. It raises issues of consent that he doesn’t want to delve into. Not that puppy play with Matt is inherently sexual; it’s more about letting Matt let go. Although he does get rather enthusiastic with his tongue sometimes in some  _very_  delightful ways.  
  
Goth Los Angeles has its vampire masque balls; leather Los Angeles has its puppy park.  
  
Sometimes the place is busy as hell, especially on cooler nights where the pups can really let loose and run around without overheating, especially those who favor full bodysuits. Tonight there are maybe three other pups and five other handlers. It turns out to be two couples with their respective pets--the solo handler and pup are Ashley and Brian, respectively. Brian’s kitted out almost the same as Matt, except for one difference.  
  
“Oh, no, what did he do now,” Marisha asks almost rhetorically as Brian bounds up to sit at her feet, chin up and eyes bright, and the bone gag between his teeth clearly visible.  
  
Ashley shrugs. “Got self-deprecating on Twitter. Again.”  
  
Taliesin scratches Brian’s head. “Bad boy. Do we need to get Daddychops to visit you with his whip again?”  
  
Brian whines. It’s anyone’s guess whether that means he’s going to behave, or whether he’d rather have the skin on his ass turned as red as Marisha’s hair.  
  
Marisha unclips Matt’s leash from his collar. He’s been on all fours since the park entrance, crawling at her heels to the bench where they’re now sitting. He’s been behaving very well. But there’s a gleam of mischief in his eyes, and he  _pounces_  on Brian, knocking him sideways. Brian yelps around his gag. Matt gives his cheek a slobbery lick.  
  
“Matthew,” Marisha snaps. “Don’t be mean to him when he can’t fight back.”  
  
Ashley’s snorting laughter. “Oh, no, abso _lute_ ly be mean to him. This is hilarious.”  
  
Brian huffs indignantly from underneath Matt, who’s quit with the messy licking, but not until after Brian’s cheek gleams with saliva. His eyes are indignant but resigned. Matt still has that mischievous gleam, but he backs off of Brian--only long enough to let Brian sit back up and attempt to paw dead leaves and bits of bark off himself before bowling him to the grass again.  
  
“Is he okay?” Ashley says softly to Taliesin.  
  
“Marisha thinks he just got overwhelmed. She said maybe Christmas shopping was the last straw, but I think it could be plotting the new campaign; you know how he overthinks everything.”  
  
“Silly boy.” Ashley looks to where Matt and Brian are tussling in the grass. “It looks like he’s getting it out of his system.”  
  
“If this doesn’t work there are other ways to get it out of his system.”  
  
Ashley raises an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Are we invited to that as well, or is this play date strictly for the puppies?”  
  
Taliesin leans in and kisses her laughing lips. “I don’t know… does Brian deserve that sort of fun, or has he been too naughty?”  
  
“Oh, come on, Tal… you know as well as I do that the best place for discipline’s the bedroom.”  
  
Marisha leans over Taliesin to join in the conversation. “What are you two laughing about?”  
  
“If Matt’s still in a mood after this, do you want Ash and Bri to come back to your place and see what else we can come up with to make him feel better?” Taliesin asks.  
  
Marisha claps her hands with delight. “Oh,  _yes_. Matt might like the opportunity to lick him somewhere other than the face.”  
  
Their attention is drawn back to the puppies at that moment because Brian howls indignantly in response to Matt leaping onto his back and nipping the nape of his neck. Matt’s laughing even as he bites Brian again.  
  
“He might  _not_  be in a mood by the time we leave,” Marisha says slowly.  
  
Ashley shrugs. “I don’t mind. I can just take Brian home and work on training him to beg before he gets to eat his treats.”  
  
Taliesin rises to his feet while Marisha’s still laughing at the innuendo—which is really just a straight-up statement that Brian’s learning to plead to be allowed the delight of tasting Ashley. “Either way, I could use a little exercise myself.” He pulls the Frisbee out of their bag and whistles sharply. When the other pups also using the park spot the plastic disc they’re quick to join in, until it’s them, their owners, and Taliesin’s pair all playing together.  
  
Ashley and Marisha stay talking quietly on the bench. They could be talking about mundane things, or they could be discussing something nefarious to do after the park; either way they’re both laughing, which is an  _interesting_  sign.  
  
Eventually everyone’s had enough of the game. Matt comes to the bench to drink thirstily out of his water bowl. Ashley removes Brian’s gag so that he can drink as well, and then the pair of them go to flop in the grass, Matt’s head on Brian’s chest, communing almost silently about secret puppy business. Matt definitely looks a lot more relaxed and happy than when he first crawled out from his makeshift crate. Brian looks ready to be a brat at any given second, but since that’s his default state of being Taliesin’s not too worried about him poorly influencing Matt.  
  
When Matt at last crawls back to the bench his expression says that his racing mind has quietened down. He holds his paws out, palms up, signaling he’s ready to “be a people again” as they’ve taken to phrasing it.  
  
“Feeling better, pup?” Taliesin asks, scratching behind Matt’s ears before beginning to unlace his mitts.  
  
Matt nods. “Much better.” His voice is soft but his words are certain, and he looks over at Brian, who’s kneeling with his head on Ashley’s thigh; Ashley’s head is bent low, blonde hair curtaining the two of them as she murmurs to him. “Playing with Bri helped a lot.”  
  
Taliesin opens his mouth, then shuts it again and looks to Marisha, who puts a hand on Ashley’s shoulder and squeezes.  
  
***  
  
Ashley and Brian end up coming home with them after all.


End file.
